How to Flirt
by LaPaige
Summary: I know how guys work. I can tell you what to do to get Shane." He paused, grinned and waited for her reaction “thank you so much Nate, you’re the best friend ever!” . She didn't say that. In fact, for at least a minute, she didn’t say anything at all.


**Hey again! I hope you guys enjoy this – I got the inspiration from the trailer of the new film with Gerard Butler, The Ugly Truth. It looks pretty good. I haven't written a NateCaitlyn in a while, and because of the new CR2 spoilers (stupid Dana from the 'new Camp'), I decided to write this. They are one of my favorite pairings, after all! Enjoy!**

**Dedication: All you awesome people who always review/favorite my work, no matter how crappy it is! Thank you all! You're amazing, this is for you guys!**

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"I hate Shane."

Nate looked up from his book (Harry Potter, because he was protesting about sparkling vampires) and laughed at his best friend. Caitlyn had liked Shane (who happened to be Nate's other best friend) ever since two years ago when they were fifteen.

Nate didn't really know why Caitlyn was so caught up with Shane, especially considering it had been two years and Shane still hadn't realized Caitlyn liked him. Maybe that would be because Caitlyn never tried to show it. She just sat and hoped someday Shane would fall for her, like she had fallen for him.

"You loved him yesterday," Nate replied, grinning at the glare the brunette sent him. "Hey, I'm just sitting here innocently reading Harry Potter. Don't come over and interrupt my reading time and expect no insults in return!" He joked, but Caitlyn was still scowling at him.

"You know, most best friends would reply with 'Oh Caitlyn, I'm here for you'. But apparently _Harry Potter, _who by the way, doesn't exist, is better than my happiness. Oh, and Edward beats Harry Potter any day."

"Okay, two things. One, Edward doesn't exist either, and two" Nate lowered his voice here so he was whispering, "he _sparkles._"

"I know, isn't it romantic?"

"No. You cannot sparkle _and_ not be gay."

Caitlyn sighed, rolling her eyes. The two of them had been arguing over which book series was better ever since Twilight had been released.

"You did _not_ just call Edward gay."

"Whatever. Let's get back on topic. Why do you hate Shane? Did he ask Mitchie out or something?"

Caitlyn leaned back in her chair slightly, taking a sudden interest in the wooden table. Nate frowned, trying to come to a conclusion as to why his best friend would suddenly hate Shane, after having a crush (and eventually falling in love with him) after two years. He doubted she actually hated him, and was just saying that because of something Shane had done, like asking Mitchie out.

"He ... he doesn't get it." Caitlyn finally replied, looking up and meeting Nate's eyes.

Nate was about to reply with something like 'it's taken you this long to realize he has no idea?' but the hurt look in Caitlyn's eyes stopped him.

"He's an idiot sometimes. You should just ... try and make him realize." Nate replied, and he would have laughed at how ridiculous he sounded if not for Caitlyn, who looked like she was about to cry.

"You suck at comforting me, did you know that? Oh, and work on good advice."

"That _was _good advice!" Nate protested, pretending to look hurt. Caitlyn rolled her eyes, but she looked a little happier.

"If you want, I can help you out." Nate offered, though the words came out so fast it sounded like a jumbled mess.

"Wow, you sounded like Jason when he gets excited over a bird he sees in the park." Caitlyn said with a laugh, causing a look of horror to pass Nate's face.

"I do not sound like Jason! I was only offering to help!" He paused, sighed and exaggerated a hurt look. "But if you don't want your best friend in the _whole world_ to help then I'll just get back to reading."

And, knowing how annoyed Caitlyn would get, he picked up his book and made a point of opening it to the correct page. He wasn't really reading, and Caitlyn could probably tell, but he pretended to scan the book for effect. He counted in his head, knowing she'd cave in before ten seconds was up.

_One, two three, four, fi-_

"How are you meant to 'help me out'?"

He couldn't keep the smile off his face as he put the book down once more.

"Well, I'm a guy-"

"Oh my god, seriously?" She faked shock at his revelation, but stopped when he shrugged and inched his hands closer to the book again.

"Thank you." He said when she stopped talking, before continuing. "Anyway, I know how guys work. I can tell you what to do … to get Shane." He paused, grinned (because this was a brilliant, foul proof idea, duh) and waited for her reaction ("thank you so much Nate, you're the best friend ever!").

She didn't say that. In fact, for at least a minute, she didn't say anything at all.

Then she started laughing. He watched with shock as she laughed so hard she fell sideways off the chair, into a heap onto the floor. But she still didn't stop laughing. He watched for what seemed like five minutes (it probably was) until she finally stopped, but she still kept spluttering every few seconds.

When she finally sat back down, Nate was quite frightened. He'd never seen her laugh like that (if the time he put green dye in Tess' shampoo didn't count).

"You … help … me … get … Shane." She said in between small gasps of laughter.

"Okay, okay, can you stop laughing now?" He replied impatiently, sulking. It _was _a good idea.

She did stop laughing (finally), and looked at him with something like amusement dancing in her eyes.

"You think you can help me get Shane after two years have gone by where I have failed to do so?" She questioned, leaning back slightly and raising an eyebrow.

"Caitlyn, wearing a skirt once every two months in the hopes he would check out your legs, and laughing a little harder at his lame jokes does _not_ count." Nate replied, putting on a serious tone. Caitlyn looked like she was about to laugh again but stopped herself. She was getting a little angry.

"I did more than that!" She protested once more, crossing her arms. She saw the question in her best friend's eyes and started talking before he could open his (stupid) mouth and ask. "I started wearing make-up, I wore prettier things, I complimented him, I smiled more, I did my hair like I actually gave a damn – I even pretended I liked his crappy music!"

Nate made an 'm-hmm' sound, and she found herself glaring once more.

"His music is _bad. _It was a big sacrifice on my part." She still had her arms crossed.

"Caity, he still didn't notice. Either he'd blind or you're just not good at flirting."

If someone could look more offended than Caitlyn in that moment, they deserved a medal.

"I can flirt!"

"Name two boyfriends you've had for more than two months."

Silence.

"I didn't date because I was in love with Shane."

It sounded strange, the words coming from her. Sure, he'd always know she was in love with his other best friend, but hearing it straight from her mouth took a little while to get used too.

"You can't flirt." He repeated, grinning because he'd finally annoyed her like she'd annoyed him with her laughing.

"And you can?" She replied, turning the situation round.

"Yes. Remember Grace? Annie? Samantha? Melissa?" He smiled triumphantly.

"Grace was only dating you for Shane, you were Annie's first boyfriend, Samantha cheated on you with Derek and Melissa dumped you after three days." Caitlyn rattled off the list. Now it was her turn to smile triumphantly as Nate's smile slipped.

"Since when did you take any interest in my relationships?" Nate finally spluttered, still in shock.

"I … you're my best friend, of course I would know." She replied, though Nate could have _sworn_ he saw a flicker of embarrassment on her face.

"Right …" He nodded, though was still a little apprehensive.

"Whatever. I'll humor you – teach me how to flirt, oh grand master Nate."

Nate blinked, surprised that she finally caved in. But then his smile brightened because his idea was pretty good and this would be fun.

"Okay, so first, you have to compliment him on things that matter. Like his hair – he's in love with his hair."

"You're teaching me how to flirt specifically with him?" Caitlyn asked, a little surprised.

"I thought that was what you wanted?" Nate replied impatiently.

"Well, yeah. I just … never mind, carry on."

"You have to walk closer to him than normal, and smile more, like you said. Make eye contact, because your eyes are pretty. Give him advice; hang out with him more. Wear that strawberry perfume you have because it smells really nice, and flirt." Nate took a deep breath and then grinned. He was pretty good at this.

Caitlyn opened her mouth and then closed it a few times, resembling a goldfish. Then she finally found her voice. "That's actually … pretty good. But you think my eyes are pretty?"

Nate nodded, but didn't speak about it. He was teaching her how to flirt and how to date Shane; his opinion on her pretty eyes did not count.

"So now I have to teach you how to flirt. Stand up." Nate commanded, standing up himself. Caitlyn followed suit.

"Okay, come closer to me." Nate instructed, and although she looked like she was about to protest she did so.

"Pretend I'm Shane, okay?" Nate asked, and reluctantly Caitlyn nodded.

"Right, you have to smile and laugh at whatever I say that's remotely funny, but not in a loud obvious way, okay?"

"Sure."

"So if Shane said 'how do you fit five donkey's in a fire engine' and the punch line was something really lame, laugh anyway. By the way, the answer is two in the front, two in the back and one of the top going 'e-aw-e-aw!'."

Caitlyn laughed, and Nate nodded.

"Perfect."

"I was actually laughing because the joke was funny and you do a good donkey impression."

Nate grinned, but continued his instructing.

"Every so often you have to get close to him and make eye contact so that he's frozen and then you smile and pretend it's nothing." Nate said, and he watched as Caitlyn inched closer. Her eyes met his and for a second he froze, just like he'd said Shane would do. His mind was screaming at him to do something, but before he could do anything Caitlyn simply smiled and winked.

"Is this okay?" She asked, her breath tickling his cheeks.

He tried to nod but he mind seemed to have died on him.

"You think this will work?" She continued, and Nate knew she was having fun.

"Y-yeah." He stumbled over the words as she inched a little closer, her nose almost touching his.

There was a playful light in her eyes as she watched him closely, her light brown eyes staying locked with his.

"I … uh, then you have to make sure you have him captivated."

He wasn't sure who he was talking about now – Shane or himself.

"Like … this?" Caitlyn whispered, and Nate could hear his heartbeat in his ears.

_Thud, thud._

He was confused, to say in the least. Why did he like this? She was only playing with him, it was obvious, and yet … something in her eyes, something he saw every time his best friend looked at Shane.

And slowly, an idea formed in his mind. And he wasn't sure why he was doing it, because this could destroy their friendship if he went through with this, yet he'd always been curious. Whether this was curiosity over Shane's new song, or what his mother had bought for Christmas … or why Caitlyn was looking at him like that.

"And then, slowly, you have to kiss him." He whispered, and his face was so close with hers. Caitlyn blinked, and he knew she would never go through with this. It was stupid. And he could just say he was kidding. He was just teaching her how to flirt, right?

But before the words could form, her lips were suddenly on his.

They were feather light and he watched as slowly, ever so slowly, her eyes closed. His heart sped up as he realized what they were doing – what she'd just done. And he was pretty sure that he wasn't supposed to kiss back (but then again, he was sure he wasn't supposed to feel like this when his best friend kissed him either).

He pressed his lips back against hers and they moved together. In the same moment she bought her arms to his neck and he rested his hands around her waist. He'd never noticed before, but they fitted together.

Then, a few moments later, they both pulled away in unison. She opened her eyes, and he opened his (when did he close them, he wondered). They finally realized what they were doing and both of them blushed.

It was silent once more as they looked at each other. Neither of them spoke, and for a while Nate felt like this was right. They were _meant _to kiss.

"You mean like that?" Caitlyn finally whispered, and Nate found himself nodding.

"Exactly. Exactly like that." He replied, and then they both smiled.

"So what would he do after that?" Caitlyn questioned, and Nate felt something like pain, but then his best friend grinned and he decided to play along.

Maybe Shane could ask Mitchie out after all. As long as he could keep teaching Caitlyn how to flirt, anyway. Then it'd all be fine.

"Well" Nate said slowly, pretending to think it over, "he'd probably do this."

And their lips met once more, but this time neither pulled away.


End file.
